Who is Amar Subramanya? Ex-Google and Microsoft AI researcher now leading Apple’s AI push

Apple has appointed Amar Subramanya, a veteran AI researcher with long stints at Google and Microsoft, as its new vice president of AI. The announcement comes as Apple confirmed that its current AI chief, John Giannandrea, will retire in 2026.

Subramanya, described by Apple as a “renowned AI researcher,” most recently served as corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft. Before that, he spent 16 years at Google, where he rose to head of engineering for Gemini. In a press release, Apple said Subramanya will report to Craig Federighi and will “be leading critical areas, including Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and AI Safety and Evaluation.”

The leadership change follows years of internal challenges for Apple’s AI push. Giannandrea, who joined Apple in 2018 after serving as Google’s VP of search, was initially seen as a key hire to help the company compete in the rapidly advancing AI landscape. However, Apple has struggled to keep pace, most notably with delayed rollout plans for its next-generation, more personalized version of Siri, the AI-centric assistant it previewed last year.


Giannandrea, who oversaw Siri’s development, has faced scrutiny over the setbacks. Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Apple CEO Tim Cook had “lost confidence in the ability of AI head John Giannandrea to execute on product development” and shifted leadership responsibilities for Siri to other executives.

Who is Amar Subramanya?

Amar Subramanya is an established AI researcher and engineering leader whose career spans some of the world’s most influential technology companies. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has held key roles at Microsoft and previously worked within Google’s DeepMind division, one of the industry’s most prominent hubs for cutting-edge artificial intelligence research.

Subramanya holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical, Electronics, and Communication Engineering from Bangalore University (1997–2001). He later completed a PhD at the University of Washington between 2005 and 2009.

At Apple, Subramanya steps into the role of Vice President of AI, reporting directly to Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering.